Online Ikebana Course Student's Work The Journey Begins

Several students have begun to take the online course that I started with my new website, stephencoler.com. I am so excited for these wonderful students to begin and continue their ikebana journey. I would like to share a couple of pictures with all of you and show you the beautiful art they created.

The first picture is from a student who had studied ikebana in the past, although it had been a while since she had practiced her art. She made a beautiful arrangement with materials that she got from her own garden -- how wonderful is that!

Yucca and hydrangea, Rising Form

Is that not a beautiful arrangement? I love the pink color of the hydrangeas and the green of the yucca leaves. The open space she created with the low yucca leaf extending out to the right gives the arrangement a sense of movement and elegance. And the container she used for the arrangement also looks very nice. I think she did a wonderful job!


The next picture is from a beginner. She has just started her ikebana journey and is very excited to learn about ikebana. She had to work with her local florist to find the materials, no using materials from her own garden. At least not for now!

Red New Zealand Flax and Rose, Rising Form

This was the first picture that she sent me. For her first time doing an ikebana arrangement, I thought she did an exceptional job! I gave her a little advice about the placement of the roses and the short leaf of New Zealand flax. She revised her arrangement and sent me another picture.

Absolutely beautiful! Her placement of the roses is very elegant, and she has created a nice balance in the arrangement. I hope that she is proud of herself, because I certainly am!


I am so happy for both of these students. They have created a beautiful ikebana arrangement that is sure to bring pleasure to anyone who sees it. It has brought joy to me!

Please feel free to leave comments below.

And if your interested in learning more about ikebana or starting your own journey, please visit my website, stephencoler.com, or click on the link at the top of the page.

Fall Ikebana in a Vase

Fall is in the air here -- my favorite time of the year. I always look forward to the fall foliage and the color explosion that goes on everywhere you look. Iwate has some of the most beautiful fall foliage that I have ever experienced.

This week, I did an arrangement to help bring the fall feeling indoors. I used some Rosa multiflora (Japanese rose hip) and some yellow chrysanthemums. It is a very simple arrangement and invokes a cool fall breeze on a beautiful fall day. I hope you enjoy the arrangement!

Heika with Rosa multiflora and chrysanthemum

As always, feel free to leave a comment below and share this post with others!

Let your ikebana journey begin with Online Ikebana Lessons

I've been quiet for a while not posting anything because. . .


I've been working on developing a new website!

(You may have noticed the blog has changed a bit, too, to make everything more cohesive.)

I am so excited about the new site, stephencoler.com!!

I love ikebana and want everyone to have access to lessons and be able to enjoy the beauty of the arrangements. Most people are not fortunate enough to live where they are able to take lessons with a certified teacher -- maybe you live out in a rural area, or the city you live in just doesn't have any teachers. Maybe you have been reading books and looking at pictures on the internet, but you just aren't getting enough. 

So, to help you out on your ikebana journey, I have created a series of monthly online ikebana lessons. The lessons give you step-by-step instructions and guide you through the process of making an authentic arrangement. I tell the "why" of what I present in the lesson, helping you to better understand the ancient art form. 

Here is a sample video of the first lesson in the series.

     

As you know from reading my blog, I love ikebana! It is one of the main reasons I have been in Japan for 15 years. It has become part of my daily life, and I want others to experience the joy and peace I get from practicing ikebana. My journey has been going for 13 years and still there is more to learn and more to understand from this cultural art form truly unique to Japan. It has been a beautiful journey, and I look forward to the unknown path ahead that this new adventure will bring!.

I am so excited to share the new website with you. Here's the header from the site. Notice how it looks the same as the blog header?

Click on the picture below and it will take you to the new site, stephencoler.com. 

Let your ikebana journey begin!

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If you have a facebook account, you can also follow my new ikebana page there!

If you look on the right hand side of the blog, you will see a facebook scroll. Please click the "like" button so you can get updates on my ikebana journey and also the ikebana journey of my students. 

Thanks! And as always, feel free to leave a comment below!

Lightning Ikebana

How admirable

to see lightning and not think

life is fleeting.

Matsuo Basho

curly willow and sunflower

Can you see the lightning in the arrangement, too?

Feel free to leave a comment below!

Father's Day Ikebana

I thought since I made my mom an arrangement for Mother's Day, I would make my dad one, too.

When I was young, my dad was a tractor mechanic. He was amazing with any type of machinery and could fix anything. He loved cars, different kinds of tools, even got into a bit of carpentry. He could do anything in my eyes. And me, I couldn't do anything! He taught me how to change the oil on my car, but it was a painful process for the both of us; and more than once, a few choice words were said by my dad. If there was anything wrong with any of the family's cars, he would always fix it himself. All you had to do was describe the problem, and he would know what to do to repair it. Because of him, my sisters and I always had a working car to drive when we were young.

We lived out in the country on 120 acres of wooded land. There was a small field near the house that used to have cows graze on it, but there weren't any when I was growing up. Every summer, he would get on the tractor and mow the field. It always smelled amazing! We lived on a dirt lane that was about a mile from from the main road. He would also mow along the lane creating a beautiful path through the woods.

He never drank coffee (and still doesn't), but always drank Mountain Dew. Whenever he would go out, he always had a cap on his head. I also remember him having a toothpick in his mouth most of the time, even while watching TV. He was a true country boy. And he still is.

So, what kind of flowers to give a country boy?

Simple, country flowers.

Hosta leaves grow all over the place here, and they sell them all summer long at the flower shops. A simple, yet beautiful leaf with lots of character, just like my dad. I thought that sunflowers would go well with the hosta leaves -- a touch of sunshine reminding me of the summers with the sweet smell of fresh cut hay. Simple materials for a simple arrangement that evokes the feeling of country to me.

hosta leaves and sunflowers

One main leaf stretches out over the water in the container, casting it's reflection on the surface of the water. Another leaf was placed low and in the front to bring a focal point to the work. Two sunflowers were used, but because they were both so large, I used them rather short in the arrangement, using them as a filler material rather than a main material. One of the sunflowers is almost hidden below the front hosta leaf, just peeking out, creating some depth in the arrangement. And then the last hosta leaf was placed in the rear of the arrangement with the back of the leaf showing, giving full play to the beautiful line of the leaf.

I also sprayed a little water on the hosta leaves. The water pools up into little beads giving a cooling effect to the viewer.

A simple, country arrangement for a simple, country guy.

I wish I could be there in person to give this to him, but an ocean separates us.

Happy Father's Day to a wonderful man that can still do anything in my eyes.

Love you.